Say “thanks” every day
We’ve all been taught to say “Thank You” from an early age, haven’t we? Saying Thank You is an expression of gratitude, an emotion one feels when you think about the good things in your life. Being happy and thankful for things can actually have a positive impact on your mind and body like reducing stress and improving your sleep. Not only that, it can improve your connections with people around you and strengthens your relationships but also helps you find meaning in what you do.
One of the ways in which you can foster this sense of thankfulness is to keep a gratitude journal. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Get specific: Don’t make it a general “I am thankful for my mother/ father/ sister/ …” What are you thankful for? The entry has to be about that day. Did your sibling wake you up after you slept through your alarm? You are grateful for that, aren’t you? Write it down. Don’t stop with saying “thanks”.
Make it personal: What about your own skills and talents? Something that you are thankful you have? Which person did you thank today and why? What do you love about yourself? Is there a person or thing that makes you happy? Is there a space in your home where you feel most comfortable?
Have a routine: Decide how often you are going to make entries in your journal. Studies say that doing it once or twice a week offers more benefits than daily journalling. Which days are going to allocate for this? And what time of day?
No rules: This is your space, unless you choose to show others what you are doing. So, keep your content open. Feel like writing one day? Go ahead and fill it with words. Are you a doodler? Start sketching your thanks. You can even stick photos in your pages.
Don’t count numbers: It’s not about how many but about the ‘what’. Even if you have just one thing to be grateful for, focus on why you are thankful for it.
Remember, it takes time to establish a habit. So don’t get discouraged if you find the going tough. Keep at it and you’ll find the benefits creeping up and making you a happier person.
Now that you’ve read all about gratitude journalling, answer these questions.